Cuba Russia

Updated 2026-05-27

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Russia

Minimum Wage

₽156.31 /hr

$1.61 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

₽100,316 /mo

Min wage: -98% Cuba vs Russia Avg. salary: -98% Cuba vs Russia

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 55 times lower than in Russia in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a upper-middle-income and a upper-middle-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $16/mo in Cuba versus $1,034/mo in Russia, a 63.8:1 ratio.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Russia's 2.1%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Russia
Metric	Cuba	Russia	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	₽156.31 $1.61	-98.2%
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	₽27,093 $279.31	-98.2%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	₽325,116 $3,351.71	-98.2%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	₽100,316 /mo $1,034.19	-98.4%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	₽87,275 /mo $899.74	-98.3%
Median individual income /yr	$MN48,000 /yr $117.07	₽880,800 /yr $9,080.41	-98.7%

Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Cuba is higher.

Work Week

Cuba: 44 hrs/wk standard

Max 44 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.25x pay

Labour Code sets standard working hours at 8 hours/day and 44 hours/week. Overtime is paid at 125% of normal rate. Some sectors work 40 hours/week.
Russia: 40 hrs/wk standard

Max 40 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Labour Code sets 40 hrs/week standard. Reduced hours for certain categories: under-16 (24 hrs), 16-18 (35 hrs), hazardous work (36 hrs). First 2 hours of overtime: 1.5x; subsequent hours: 2.0x. Overtime limited to 4 hrs over 2 consecutive days, 120 hrs/year. Public holidays (14 per year) are paid non-working days.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

Cuba Russia Source: wage.is · USD equivalent/hr

Year	Cuba (USD)	Russia (USD)
2005	$0.55/hr	—
2019	$0.98/hr	$116/hr
2020	$0.98/hr	$125/hr
2021	$5.12/hr	$132/hr
2022	—	$158/hr
2023	—	$167/hr
2024	—	$198/hr
2025	—	$231/hr
2026	—	$279/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 5351% less per hour in USD terms than one in Russia. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while Russia mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $64 in Russia.

See this comparison from Russia's perspective: Russia vs Cuba

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Russia?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Russia, it is ₽156.31/hr ($1.61 USD). Russia has the higher rate by 5351% in USD terms. That nominal gap does not account for local prices; see the purchasing power comparison below for a cost-of-living-adjusted view. Workers in Cuba may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.

How much less does the average worker earn in Cuba compared to Russia?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to ₽100,316/mo ($1,034.19 USD) in Russia. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 6277% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Russia is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Russia earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Cuba.

How do work hours compare between Cuba and Russia?

Cuba has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 40 hours in Russia. Workers in Cuba work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Russia working fewer hours may have comparable or better effective hourly earnings depending on the wage levels of each country. Total annual compensation depends on both the wage rate and the number of hours required.